Antenna Mast Project

[RiffRaff]

50 feet! First two antennas mounted, plus weather station and a small LED light at the top of the mast.

 

[NuclearID]

50 feet! First two antennas mounted, plus weather station and a small LED light at the top of the mast.

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So when can you by a server and host the DWS forums and website to ensure even if major server companies go down in a cyber attack DWS still will work.

Also ever thought about registering a frequency or bandwidth for the DWS to broadcast in a emergency so even if the network goes down we can still pick up reports from you.

 

[RiffRaff]

So when can you by a server and host the DWS forums and website to ensure even if major server companies go down in a cyber attack DWS still will work.

That's what the old missile silo is designated for.

Also ever thought about registering a frequency or bandwidth for the DWS to broadcast in a emergency so even if the network goes down we can still pick up reports from you.

Nah. If there's an emergency so big that it requires us to broadcast over amateur radio, FCC regulations say any frequency can be used to transmit in an emergency. Plus, if we're broadcasting due to a nuclear attack, I don't think the FCC is going to come knocking on my door for broadcasting outside my license band. I already have all the frequencies listed in the FEMA AUXFOG programmed into my radios, so I'll be able to share information there as well.

That being said, there has been some discussion among radio operators here on the forum about mutually agreeing on a frequencies in different bands so we all know in advance where to listen if we lose all other forms of communications.

 

[NuclearID]

That being said, there has been some discussion among radio operators here on the forum about mutually agreeing on a frequencies in different bands so we all know in advance where to listen if we lose all other forms of communications.

That's amazing! If you guys agree hope you list it somewhere here on forums.

Plus, if we're broadcasting due to a nuclear attack, I don't think the FCC is going to come knocking on my door for broadcasting outside my license band.

I suppose you make a valid argument there.

 

[NuclearID]

That's what the old missile silo is designated for.

Hmm. I wonder if Russia updated its Soviet predecessor nuclear target list. Heh that empty silo could still be a target.

Edit: kinda not joking though...

 

[edje555]

Get a QRP rig if you have to, they usually don't run as much. Something like a G90 for example. You don't need big power unless you're contesting usually.

Well QRP is nice for field operation on a battery but for long DX you need power to get trough the pileup otherwise they don't hear you.
But second hand you can get nice transceiver like older types, Yaesu FT897 or similar or Kenwood TS50 or 570 for say 200-400bucks, put a balun whit longwire and coax too the transceiver and your ready for HF listening.
Also you can transmit on the CB band to make contacts or illegal on pirate frequents on HF.

 

[Friendly Engineer]

The problem is, DWS is reliant on the internet to gather information, our purpose is also to warn people of nuclear attack.

After a nuclear attack, giving a warning seems pretty redundant, and gathering information is virtually impossible.

 

[Friendly Engineer]

The problem is, DWS is reliant on the internet to gather information, our purpose is also to warn people of nuclear attack.

After a nuclear attack, giving a warning seems pretty redundant, and gathering information is virtually impossible.

Not to diminish your lovely antenna, @RiffRaff , amateur radio is a fun hobby.

 

[NuclearID]

After a nuclear attack, giving a warning seems pretty redundant, and gathering information is virtually impossible.

Not so much about that but more staying connected after society ends. I'd like to fire my'n up at least once a month and see if anyone is still out there and how they are doing.

 

[RiffRaff]

Not to diminish your lovely antenna, @RiffRaff , amateur radio is a fun hobby.

Well, after we issue the initial warning, then it's about keeping people informed via a method other than the internet. I can still broadcast information to my county about targets or cities that have been hit, radiation reports, as well as my own radiation readings for my local area.

If we do our jobs correctly, we'll issue a DEFCON 1 alert while the internet is still mostly functional, then once it goes down, it's up to each one of us individually to inform and educate our local communities on what to expect and what to do. Amateur radio isn't really a hobby for me. It's mostly nothing more than part of my OSINT gathering tools and nuclear war preps. Other than that, I won't spend much time with it. In fact, at DEFCON 2 I isolate our house from the power grid and unplug all sensitive electronics so they'll survive any EMP. Any radio I have running would be on battery power only at that alert level.

 

[RiffRaff]

Well QRP is nice for field operation on a battery but for long DX you need power to get trough the pileup otherwise they don't hear you.
But second hand you can get nice transceiver like older types, Yaesu FT897 or similar or Kenwood TS50 or 570 for say 200-400bucks, put a balun whit longwire and coax too the transceiver and your ready for HF listening.
Also you can transmit on the CB band to make contacts or illegal on pirate frequents on HF.

I'll be looking for an older rig like that at the next hamfest I go to. I've already got a CB radio, just need the antenna. But again, other than monitoring EAMs and foreign stations located in high value targets during higher alert levels, they probably won't even be turned on.